Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Rich Bisaccia directed a group that ranked fourth in the NFL In kick return average (25.5 yards per return) and fifth in punt return average (12.5 yards per return). Dallas held opponents to 20.8 yards per kick return, tied for the sixth lowest average in the league, and did not allow a touchdown on a kick or punt return.

The Cowboys ranked fourth in field goal percentage, successfully converting 93 percent of their attempts. They did not allow a blocked punt or kick during the season. Read more »

What Went Right

Highlight: Josh Wilson forces a fumble and recovers it himself.

What went right: Technique and awareness.

-The Redskins line up in their base defense and send five pass rushers.
-Brian Orakpo feigns an outside move and counters inside to turn Tyron Smith’s shoulders.
-Ryan Kerrigan gets around the corner on Doug Free.
-Both outside linebackers pressure Tony Romo, forcing the quarterback to hit his checkdown receiver, fullback Tyler Clutts.
-Clutts likely practices protecting the ball often, but does not have much experience in game situations. The fourth-year fullback has zero career carries and nine career receptions.
-Clutts makes the catch and turns upfield, where Josh Wilson is waiting in a zone assignment.
-Wilson tackles low against the 254-pound fullback, leading his shoulder into the body and drilling his helmet directly into the football.
-The ball pops out, and Wilson knocks it away from Clutts before securing it for himself. Read more »

Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs directed Washington to three Super Bowl championships and was named NFL Coach of the Year three times. In 16 years as head coach of the Redskins, covering two stints from 1981-1992 and 2004-2007, Gibbs had a 154-94 record and posted a .500 record (16-16) against Dallas.

I caught up with Gibbs at FedExField about 80 minutes before kickoff against the Cowboys. Read more »

Prior to a Week 6 matchup with Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, cornerback DeAngelo Hall talked about how his approach to defending the budding star had changed.

Hall told CSN Washington he respected Bryant’s growth enough to end the jawing in between whistles.

“There’s no mind tricks or no talking [trash] back and forth, it’s really going out there and try to compete Ultimately you need to either go out there and knock it out or he’s going to catch it. That’s kind of how it goes.”

The high-water mark sign that something magical could soon be happening is when the crew at First Take actually agrees on something.

I’ve officially seen it all.

“In the end the Washington Redskins will win the division.”

So as you continue to peruse through Google this afternoon searching for brilliant get out of work early ideas, check out this video of Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith actually agreeing that the Redskins will pull off epic end of season streak version 2.0.

Hopefully you can appreciate some things went right, including standout individual plays and performances. The Redskins fell short on the road, but at least three players gave them opportunities to capture the momentum at AT&T Stadium.

There is nothing quite like Cowboys Week around Redskins Park. Refreshed by time away, the players have been vocal about their feelings of archrival Dallas Cowboys.

With extra incentive of a possible tie for the NFC East lead at stake, the players are exuding a confidence that isn’t normally associated with a 1-3 team.

Dallas, coming off a week where they gave their best left hook to Peyton Manning but still fell short, is known for being enigmatic. One week they look like world beaters and the next they look like they couldn’t even hang with any of the local high schools.

Anyway, with Sunday’s Jerry World-sized matchup looming, here are some storylines that national and local Dallas media are following:

Maybe you like to whittle the hours away with first-hand accounts of brave Americans storming the beaches of Normandy. Maybe you get a kick out of bearded duck-call moguls.

That’s all solid programming, but I don’t watch. When I need my nostalgia fix, I turn to the NFL archives, preferably video filled with spots and cracks indicative of 16 mm film, preferably produced by the Redskins.

This is my second day on the job at Redskins.com, and I couldn’t think of a better way to settle in.

Here are my five favorite things about the Redskins Chronicles episode covering the Redskins Cowboys Rivalry:

1. NFL marching bands: Our first sign of a bygone era also spotlights talented musicians who played “Hail to the Redskins.” We learn in Redskins Chronicles that the rights to that song were essential to the birth of the Cowboys. Old-timey trades were the best.

2. Clint Murchison, Jr., has a 300-pound, cast-iron double phone. What is this device? It just looks like a phone receiver glued to another one. I can’t imagine it helping in any way, but I want one shipped to my desk at Redskins Park immediately.